Ross River Virus 

Ross River Virus is a Togavirus of the Alphavirus genus.  Transmission is arthropod-borne, and infection can cause arthritis, fever and rash.
 

•  Incubation:  2 - 3 days
•  Epidemiology:  Ross River Virus is prevelent in the South Pacific and Australia.  Its reservoir consists of various marsupials, rodents, and humans, though it can also infect horses.  Its vectors are the mosquitoes Culex annulirostris, Aedes vigilax, and Aedes polynesiensis, and it produces occasional epidemics.
• Symptoms and Outcomes:  In many cases, RRV infection is subclinical.  However, it can produce abrupt onset fever, rash and arthritis.  These are often associated with more general symptoms of nausea, headache, backache, and photophobia.  RRV- associated arthritis may persist for months.
• Pathology and Pathogenesis:   RRV virus enters the bloodstream via the saliva of an infected female mosquito.  Viral replication then occurs in the monocytes leading to the viremic phase of infection.  The target organs for RRV replication are the muscles, joints and skin.  Following primary infection, immunity normally persists for life.
• Prevention and Management:  The easiest way to control RRV is to reduce exposure.  This can be accomplished by reducing the size and number of mosquito breeding sites through public education measures.   Treatment of RRV is largely symptomatic.

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